Malvaviscus arboreus drummondii

( mal - vah - VIS - kus    ar- BOR - ee - us    drum - MON - dee - eye )

At-A-Glance Information

This species, known alternatively under the botanical name Malvaviscus drummondii and the common names Turk's Cap, Wax Mallow, Ladies' Eardrops, Wild Fuchsia or Sleepy Hibiscus, is a shrubby perennial that needs full sun to partial shade and regular water. The flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. Turk's Cap is native to the southeastern United States down through Central America and reaches 4-10 feet tall and just as wide. Permanently closed flowers are bright red and bloom in summer through fall. Stamens extend past the petals, similar to hibiscus. Leaves are downy and heart shaped. Use Turk's Cap shrubs in containers, in mixed beds or borders, or in cottage or tropical landscapes. Variety 'Big Momma' (pictured) has coral-red blossoms. Turk's Cap is best in zones 4-9 and 14-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map).

Caring for and pruning Malvaviscus arboreus drumondii shrubs

Plant Turk's Cap in partial shade to full sun (note that if you live in a pretty warm area, you'll need to provide some shade in the afternoons). The more sun this shrub gets, the more profusely it will flower. These shrubs like well-draining soil amended with organic material with a pH of between 6.8 and 7.2. Keep the soil consistently moist, but ensure that there is no water pooling around the base. Apply mulch around the base of the plant to increase soil moisture retention. Fertilize with a balanced, slow-release feed once in springtime and again in the middle of summer. 

Pruning is relatively straightforward, simply remove any errant, broken, or dead/diseased branches in late winter or early spring. If your shrub is becoming leggy, prune branches back by about a third at this time to encourage new, bushier growth to emerge during the growing season.

Propagation

Turk's Cap is most easily propagated via cuttings taken in either spring or early summertime. To propagate your shrub, follow these instructions:
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Problems and Pests

Although these plants are considered pest and disease resistant, it is still a good practice to keep an eye out for common garden pests like:
  • Aphids
  • Whiteflies
  • Spider Mites
For more information, see the links below:
​

Gallery

These shrubs are great candidates to plant in an area that you need quick foliage coverage; they have a moderate to rapid growth rate.
The flowers on these shrubs are bright and will attract pollinators like hummingbirds and bees to your garden.
Turk's Cap flowers are similar to those on Hibiscus shrubs, but they permanently stay in a closed position.
Turk's Cap fruits are edible, tasting a bit like a bland apple with a slight sweetness.
The flowers on these shrubs are followed by red fruit.

Videos

This shrub makes a beautiful understory plant.
All about Turk's Cap.

Resources

Wikipedia: Malvaviscus arboreus
September Plant of the Month: Turk's Cap
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 433, Malvaviscus arboreus drummondii (Turk's Cap, Sleepy Hibiscus)
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
​